STB on pace to decide Amtrak Sunset case by summer, chair says

The Surface Transportation Board's investigation into the reasons behind poor on-time performance of Amtrak's Sunset Limited long-distance rail service is on schedule with a decision possible in early summer, STB Chairman Robert Primus said yesterday.

Since it began investigating the causes of poor OTP of Sunset Limited trains between New Orleans and Los Angeles and 20 intermediate stations, the STB has built a significant record that includes track profiles, timetables, operating procedures, rulebooks, railroad policy and training manuals, operating agreements, freight operations data, and train delay data, according to an STB press release.

In August 2024, the STB set a procedural schedule in the case with the hope of being able to issue a final determination by early summer 2025.

"We are on track to achieve this goal and will continue to progress toward the mark," Primus said.

In December 2022, Amtrak petitioned the STB to investigate the reasons behind the poor OTP of its Sunset Limited route, which travels nearly 2,000 miles on track mostly hosted by Union Pacific Railroad. An OTP investigation is designed to determine whether and to what extent delays or failures to achieve minimum standards are due to causes that could reasonably be addressed by the passenger rail operator or the host railroad or railroads.

Amtrak's complaint can be located here by entering the docket number NOR 42175.